PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY

THE PAO FULFILLS ITS MISSION BY PROVIDING EDUCATION FOR DOCTORS AND THEIR STAFF, BY ADVOCATING FOR OPHTHALMOLOGISTS AND THEIR PATIENTS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND PROMOTING PREVENTATIVE EYE CARE TO THE CITIZENS OF PENNSYLVANIA. ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THIS MISSION INCLUDE: 1) PAO, WITH THE HELP OF THEIR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FIRM, PROVIDED INPUT TO STATE LEGISLATORS PROMOTING SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH LOW- COST VISION SCREENINGS AS OPPOSED TO COSTLY EYE EXAMS EACH YEAR. THIS LEGISLATION WAS ENACTED IN 2020 BUT HAS BEEN REINTRODUCED AND CONTINUES TO BE OF CONCERN. THE PAO ALSO SUCCESSFULLY WORKED WITH THE PA DEPT OF HEALTH AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO INCREASE MORE THAN 37 OPHTHALMIC MEDICAID RATES THAT WILL INCREASE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR ALL OPHTHALMOLOGISTS ACROSS THE STATE. 2)PAO'S YOUNG OPHTHALMOLOGISTS COMMITTEES SPONSORED THE POPULAR WEBINARS FOR EARLY CAREER OPHTHALMOLOGISTS THAT WERE OPEN TO FULL MEMBERSHIP ON "CHOOSING YOUR CAREER PATH IN OPHTHALMOLOGY- AND "NEGOTIATING YOUR FIRST EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT" THE "YO"S ALSO HELD THE 2ND ANNUAL PAO STATE-WIDE VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS COMPETITION. THIS YEAR THEY GREW THE PARTICIPATION IN THE NETWORKING EVENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND EARLY-CAREER OPHTHALMOLOGISTS. 3)THE PROGRAM FOR EARLY CAREER OPHTHALMOLOGISTS CALLED "THE BUSINESS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY" INCLUDED THREE LIVE WEBINARS ON TOPICS NOT COVERED BY FORMAL MEDICAL EDUCATION: PRACTICE MANAGEMENT, BILLING CODING, AND THE INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE, AND PERSONAL FINANCE. THE SERIES WAS ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE RECORDINGS ARE SHARED AT RESIDENCY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. 4)PAO SPONSORED SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS FOR CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) CREDITS FREE TO OUR MEMBERS: "2024 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM: NEW TREATMENTS IN 2024" "OCULOPLASTICS," "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN OPHTHALMOLOGY," NEW ADVANCES IN DRY EYE TREATMENTS,- AND "OMIC- LESSONS LEARNED WHEN SAFETY PROTOCOLS FAIL" " LIVE WEBINARS PROVIDED 7 HOURS OF CME. OUR VIRTUAL MEDICAL CODING SEMINAR WAS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 75 ATTENDEES. 5)THE PAO PUBLISHED TWO PRINT NEWSLETTERS IN 2024 AND PUBLISHED 2 DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS AS WELL AS OVER 29 INFORMATIONAL E-BLASTS TO THE MEMBERSHIP ON TOPICS OF STATE ADVOCACY, UPDATES IN PA PROVIDER CHANGES, MEDICAL LICENSE RENEWALS, CERTIFIED OPHTHALMIC ASSISTANT PROGRAMS, AND LOSS OF RESIDENCY ROTATION.